Broken
by The Mome Raths Outgrabe
Summary: Loki was holding onto to sanity by a tenuous thread; that thread snaps when Frigga dies. Warnings: Dark: more warnings inside.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Thor**

**Warnings: Self-harm, lot of blood. Dark, insanity, disturbing, sad. You have been warned. **

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Thor hadn't been to see Loki since Loki's sentencing. Because honestly Thor was still angry with him. Not only did he try to subject Midgard to his rule, but Loki also tried to kill him. Still, there was only one person who knew a way off Asgard that didn't involve the Bifrost and that was Loki, which was why he had to go see him now. Heimdall didn't seem convinced by his plan though, although that was probably because he wasn't fond of Loki. Loki had frozen Heimdall so that was understandable. Thor made his way down the stairs wondering if it was going to be difficult to get Loki to agree. He doubted it would be more difficult than trying to make sure after Loki is released that he comes back afterwards. Loki was quick slippery after all. He made his way down the stairs and paused in shock at the sight that met him.

Loki wasn't facing him, he was facing the back wall of his cell. Honestly, Thor's was kind of glad that Loki wasn't facing him since he wasn't sure how well he'd take seeing the front of Loki as well. Loki's fingers were painting a line on the wall on the back of his cell, but Thor was pretty sure it wasn't actually paint that his brother was using since the coloring was off, but blood. His own blood.

"Loki," he breathed shocked. This wasn't what he had expected to find at all. Loki turned around and Thor decided he most definitely preferred when Loki's back had been to him. Loki's arms were a mess of wounds and there was still blood dribbling out. Loki seemed to be using his hand to funnel the blood into a cup and then using his finger to keep painting. His hair was down, mangled and some of it seemed shiny like it was wet. The fingers on his right and left hands were both red and bloody. There was blood under his fingernails as well. He had just barely managed to convince himself to be strong, to not show any emotion and to not let Loki get the better of him. Of course due to the scene in front of him, his earlier resolve melted away.

"Loki, why have you done this yourself?" Thor asked trying to fight back tears. All he could see right now was his brother, his younger more innocent brother. The one that used to follow him around, the one who used to play innocent pranks.

"Thor do you like my painting?" Loki asked almost childlike, turning for a moment to look at it. Thor's gaze went back to the 'painting' but he immediately looked away again.

"I asked for paints, but they wouldn't give me any, so I made my own," Loki said like Thor should be proud of him for that. Thor had a strong stomach. He had been through many battles. Normally the sight and smell of blood did not bother him much, but the startling amount of blood and the fact that it was his brothers made his stomach churn.

"He can't leave here." Thor turned his sword in hand only to find it is one of the prison guards who looked slightly out of breath like he had just ran down there.

"If that is your intent." the guard said after a few moments of silence.

"What has happened to him?" Thor asked instead looking at his brother who had gone back to painting the wall.

"Loki's sanity seemed to have been rapidly devolving. It was only in front of the All-mother that he was able to seem so put together. We've been kind of busy since then, but I assumed whatever sanity he had left vanished with the All-mother."

"Why weren't we told?" Thor said angrily.

"I told my commander sir but, he thought that the prince was faking it sir."

"And what is this commander's name?"

"I do not wish to speak ill of the dead sir," the soldier said a little uncomfortably. So the man was dead? It was probably just as well, Thor probably wouldn't have believed it either if he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes. The fact that his brother was well and truly mad now. Thor suddenly sat down as his legs were suddenly weak, he turned and saw Loki staring at him like a child. There was so much blood. His plan had hinged on his brother and his knowledge of ways out of Asgard that weren't the Bifrost. What was he supposed to do now?

"If you are not going to take him I'd like to get back to helping others," the guard said and Thor nodded numbly. There was no taking Loki anywhere like this. He'd be more of a danger to himself than to anyone else, but he doubted that Loki would be able to do what he wanted him to do. He heard footsteps going away and Thor studied the floor as it was better to look at than Loki who was still coated in blood. What was he going to do? He still had to get off Asgard with Jane. An idea struck Thor and he winced and it would involve looking at his brother. Thor took several deep breaths before raising his head. Part of him had hoped that during the time he hadn't been looking at Loki, he would have turned back into who he used to be, but he hadn't. Loki was still covered in blood staring at him like a child.

"Loki," Thor's voice shook. Loki looked at him for a long moment before he said.

"You look sad." Thor took in another deep breath, he had to do this, even if he felt like a horrible person for trying to get information out of Loki when he was like this.

"Yes, I am sad," Thor admitted.

"Why?" Loki asked curiously.

"The All-father will not let me leave," Thor said carefully choosing the words All-father.

"Why not?" Loki asked like he had when he was a child.

"I want to leave Asgard," he said rather than explain the reasoning, "but without Heimdall's help I don't know how." Loki looked puzzled. "If only someone knew how to leave," Thor said hating himself for taking advantage of his brother in his state.

"I know," Loki said after a long moment. "I know how to leave." Thor nodded encouragingly.

"Can you show me?" Thor asked and waved his hand to indicate that he meant for Loki show him an illusion. Loki stared down at his hands for a long moment and Thor had to look away to prevent his stomach from revolting.

"Illusion?" Loki asked and Thor nodded again. Loki frowned at his hands. "There's too much red. How can I get another color?"

"Loki," Thor said drawing Loki's attention back to him. "The illusion?" he asked, Loki nodded and focused back on his hands. A shaky image of a hole between two mountain walls appeared.

"This is the other way?" Thor asked somewhat confused as he wasn't sure what he was to do. Loki blinked and suddenly there was a spaceship flying down the narrow corridor.

"Are you sure?" Thor asked because it looked very dangerous, Loki nodded and grinned at him.

"Thank you, Loki," Thor said getting to his feet. Thor looked at his brother for a moment longer making a mental promise to himself that when he came back he would take care of his brother. Thor forced himself to turn away. There was another battle to be had before he faced this one again.

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**Thanks for reading please let me know what you think good or bad. **


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